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I agree with the above. After listening to many different CD players at an Audio festival, I bought the Apollo Rega. I'm not saying that it was the best player that I heard but it was at about the $1800 - 1900 tubed CD player level before I found something that was better.

One of the nice things about the C-70 preamp is that you can control two amplifiers and can run the amps as monoblocks. I have and used for many years a C-70, T-70 and two M-50s. So if you ever decide that you want to try a speaker that needs lots of watts (most modern ones), this set-up could be added to (another M-70) easily and provide MANY wpc. The only problems that I ever had over the many years that I owned and used that set-up (over 20 years) was a few solder joints breaking down and needing to be reflowed...and I had a problem with some really heavy cables that I used pulling away the rca jacks on the M-50s. If I were still going to use it today, I would probably look at recapping. I probably should pull these out and sell them but I've got a sentimental attachment and they did sound good. BTW, the T-70 is a very nice tuner and I never had a single issue with it over the years.

Hi Joe, I PM'd you as well but those have apparently been going astray. I received the records today. Thanks.

Hi Joe, As long as you're online, I sent paypal 20 Jan but haven't seen any records yet? Any status on shipping/tracking numbers or...? Sent a couple of PMs but know that those can go astray. Thanks.

Owner's and service manual: http://www.berners.ch/McIntosh/de/Frame_McIntosh.htm

The room is about 12 X 15. Everybody gets to listen at the level that they feel comfortable with/fun but I wouldn't have thought that my normal listening levels were so unusual - typically conversation can be had without shouting. The 45s will take it (without distortion) to having to speak loudly to have a conversation.

I got the second MC-240 figuring that I might very well be rehoming it soon but when I put it in the system and ran them as monoblocks, I was pretty wowed at how much better it sounded. I'm not sure why - it might be increased power but the Cornwalls are so efficient that doesn't sound right...so I'm guessing that maybe it's the separate power supplies. I don't know why but I can tell you that the monoblock'd 240s sound better than one in stereo. I'm becoming more and more a believer in hearing it for yourself. What you think might work doesn't and what shouldn't work does, what sounds good to you may not sound good to me. I think that LaScalas sound good but there's Tom B who will go on (and on!) about how horrible they are (buzzsaw is usually in there somewhere). I heard some speakers - Zu Druids - that are supposed to be so wonderful (and with a yamamoto amp which should be a good match) and I thought they were absolutely horrid. When I'm in a politic mood, I would call them colored...or say that they have a signature sound. I was surprised at the fairly consistent negative initial response to running Cornwalls on a 45SET and probably would never have gone further down that road but I HEARD a 45SET on Chorus IIs and then I was pretty sure that it would work well. I don't think that anyone who was negative actually stated that they had tried or heard Cornwalls on a 45SET. I'm here to let people know that I've actually heard it...it's not a rumor and it's not figuring from a piece of paper on what should or shouldn't work...and at least one person thinks it sounds great (actually it was a roomful of folk who heard the 45SET on the Chorus speakers and thought it was great). I'll end up running my combo past some other audiofriends to check basic sanity. But I'll have to say....There's nothing like hearing it for yourself!!

Well, I wondered if the 45s could rock..and yes, they can. I've been playing Doors, Dire Straits, Eagles, Talking Heads etc today and it was great. I had put a good EL-84 amp on the Cornwalls one time that sounded just wonderful with small combo jazz and vocals but just layed their and died when I put on rock 'n roll. It was just too sweet with no edge. The 45s weren't like that at all. That said, it doesn't have the get-up-and-slap-you-upside-the-head drive that the MC-240s do...but the 45s still maintain a musicality that the 240's don't have...and man I love my monoblock MC240's. The 45's just don't seem to provide that bass PUNCH but the bass is still there and decent. I'm going to have to live with this for a while to make any final decisions but so far, I'm liking it and I hope that everyone will get a chance to hear Corns on some good SETs at some point. There really is nothing like hearing for yourself.

Bourbon - Booker's.

By your definitions, I would have been listening at normal level. That's fine with me as this "normal" level is pretty awesome sound. There's an airiness about the music that wasn't there before. BTW, my previous amps were MC-240's run as monoblocks (one refurb'd and one original and working good) ...so lots of power...and sounded good to me...still do...but definitely different. 45 is more musical. I spent most of today with Janos Starker and Nina Simone. Wow!

Yes, I am. If I hadn't heard a 45 integrated hooked to Chorus speakers, I might have listened to naysayers and passed but I did hear and I wanted. My SO doesn't usually really listen to music but last night after hooking these up, we sat together for quite a while (1 - 2 hours) and just listened to tunes together. My SO's attention span has never even come close to lasting that long before.

I just got the DRD 45's finished and hooked up yesterday. I'm using a Hagerman Clarinet preamp with the DRD45s fed into the Cornwalls. The Cornwalls have Al Klappenberger designed XO's and plasticlay damping on the woofer basket and horns. I don't have any way to measure dbs but I can say that these will play loudly - not ear aching but have-to-speak-loudly-to-have-a-conversation-with-someone loud before showing any distortion. Even though these are just in the break-in process, they sound fantastic. So far I've been playing jazz, soft rock and classical and it's beautiful. I haven't tried playing the Stones or Doors, etc yet for a rock test but we'll get there. So far, I have to say that the magic did make it to my home.

If you diy then it's only $825 with recommended parts...that's not cheap but it's pretty cheap for a complete tube unit. I also like the fact that you can pick what parts you want (other than the hagdac version which is already built) and not be stuck with someone else's idea of what good parts are...and if you have a parts box, you can use some of what you already have. The reviewer got a bone stock one and loved it so just the suggested parts are good. I haven't built this one but have built his Bugle and Clarinet and am happy with both of those.

Here's a kit to take a look at: http://www.hagtech.com/chime.html

Has anyone tried using that chair seat cane to make grills? How close does that look compared to the original cane?

I built Hagerman's Clarinet and have been happy with it. One of the things that I like about Hagerman's "kits" are that you decide what components you want to purchase. He sells you a pcb, a recommended parts list (usually a combo of digikey and AES). You can buy what's recommended or change as you like without having to pay for a kit part and then buy what you want. He's a good engineer, makes a good pcb, and ships quickly.

Those 2A3s look nice too. I've heard that they sound good but haven't experienced that particular joy myself. At this point, I've got 45s headed in my direction. Good luck to both of us!

I went to the Bay Area Tube meeting this past weekend. I took along my "new" Garrard 401 and phono amp as part of the presentation this weekend. Another guy brought his 45 SET. The speakers were Klipsch Chorus II (which are similar to Cornwalls). I couldn't believe how great that combination sounded! I was very happy with my TT/amp with a couple of other amps that were there (including some nice Quad IIs) but when it was combined with the 45 amp, it just seemed to reach the next level. This was in an auditorium and the music was plenty loud for good listening. We played a variety of music from classical, to jazz, to blues, to R&B and it all sounded great. Anyway, I've ordered Wellborne's tube rectified 45 kit with upgraded caddock resistors, silver wire and TJ Mesh 45s. I'm hoping that I can find that "magic" again at home. When I've got it completed, I'll get back to you all and let you know what I think about the combo with the Cornwalls at home.

I wasn't planning to have a powered sub. It sounds like the 45 might sound great for low level acoustic listening but if I wanted to rock out then I'd need another system. The 300Bs might do both for me. Hmmm......

I'm thinking about my Cornwalls and trying them with SET...and particularly wondering about the 45. Is the Cornwall sensitive enough to drive to loud listening levels in a small room with a 45 SET? I'm reasonably certain that I could reach ear aching levels with a 300B but start wondering about the 2A3 and 45 being able to do that. I don't always listen loud but sometimes, I just need to be doused in sound.

That's a great deal. I usually see Fortes for about $500 and I think that they are undervalued at that.

I've used BLO, Tung Oil and BLO/Tung Oil and preferred the mix to either of the separate oils. BLO is really slow to dry. Tung Oil is a little bit shiny. The 50/50 mix seems to dry fairly quickly but has the look of BLO.

Fingerprints on a record!!?!!?! Shoot her.

Looks like there's always an interesting project at your house. I loved following the cornscala and this looks very interesting too with the Altec 811 horn in the tall enclosure. Cool.

NO affiliation but it sounds like a good deal. http://www.craigslist.org/sfc/ele/114643899.html